Two individuals, one a dual Iranian-American citizen, face charges related to the drone strike that tragically killed three U.S. service members and wounded numerous others earlier this year. Mohammad Mahdi Sadeghi, employed at a Massachusetts semiconductor company, was apprehended in Massachusetts, while Mohammad Abedini was taken into custody in Italy and awaits extradition to the U.S. Both are accused of violating export controls by allegedly sending sensitive technology to Iran that was subsequently utilized in the deadly drone attack. Abedini faces further charges related to conspiring to provide material support to Iran.
U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy underscored the gravity of the situation, stating that this case tragically demonstrates the real-world dangers of American technology falling into the wrong hands. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland affirmed the Justice Department's commitment to holding accountable those who facilitate attacks against Americans and jeopardize U.S. national security. The charges stem from the January 28th attack, the first against U.S. forces since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023.
The FBI's investigation, which involved analyzing the drone and tracing its navigation system, led authorities to Abedini's Iranian company. Officials assert that Abedini, with Sadeghi's assistance, obtained the technology from the U.S. FBI Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen criticized Sadeghi for allegedly betraying the U.S. to bolster Iran's military capabilities against American service members. Prosecutors contend that Abedini's company, which produces drone navigation systems, has ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). They allege a conspiracy between Abedini and Sadeghi to bypass U.S. export laws, utilizing a Swiss front company to transfer sensitive technology to Iran.
The three Army reservists killed in the January 28th attack in Jordan were identified as Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, all Georgia residents. They were stationed at a small base near the Syrian and Iraqi borders, supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. The U.S. attributed the attack to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed militias. It is believed the drone was mistaken for a returning U.S. drone and therefore not intercepted. The U.S. responded with retaliatory strikes against over 85 targets linked to the IRGC in Iraq and Syria.
This incident represented a surge in violence against U.S. forces in the Middle East, with the Biden administration at the time linking it to U.S. support for Israel during its conflict with Hamas.
